Method of removing synthetic turf and sythetic turf removal attachment

ABSTRACT

A turf removal attachment is attached to a skid steer to allow hydraulic motors thereon to first power cutting blades to form easily removable strips of turf and then, on a lower gear ratio, the drum to which roller tines are attached to spool the strips of turf. Hydraulic circuitry may be provided to permit the hydraulic fluid of the skid steer to power the turf removal tools on the turf removal attachment.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/102,907, filed Aug. 14, 2018, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/923,298, filed Jun. 20, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.10,117,386, the contents of each of which are hereby incorporated byreference in their entireties. U.S. Provisional Patent Application No.61/660,781, now abandoned, is also incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed to an attachment for a skid steer tofacilitate removal of artificial turf. While the terminology “skidsteer” is used throughout this specification and claims, it will beappreciated that other self-powered vehicles may be used as well andthat it is intended that the term “skid steer” include any and all suchvehicles.

Warranties on artificial turf typically expire at the 10th anniversaryof installation. Most stadium owners/operators seek to remove andreplace their turf fields as that important anniversary approaches inorder to avoid any possible legal liability for injuries resulting froma defective surface.

Before a new surface can be installed, the old has to be taken up.Removal of an existing synthetic turf, whether it is for baseball,football, soccer or other use, is difficult and time consuming. Theresultant rolls of turf are extremely heavy and, depending on size, canweigh between 3000 and 6000 pounds. Sloppy rolls are more difficult tohandle and take up more space in dumpsters or other disposal bins.

Most turf removal projects are performed manually requiring significantmanpower (10-12 personnel) and requiring almost an entire week. Existingautomated removal equipment is expensive, and, in some cases isdifficult to use, has low power and, accordingly, takes several days toaccomplish the removal process. Due to the inefficiency and theexcessive expense, most removal teams opt to revert to manual removalmethods.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is the object of the present invention to provide a less expensivemechanical alternative which permits removal to be accomplished in 1-1V2 days by a single operator, if need be. Further, with the turf removalattachment of the present invention, a tight roll requiring less spaceand, accordingly, fewer disposal bins, is achieved.

The present invention comprises a synthetic turf removal attachmentadapted to be secured to and powered by a skid steer, the removalattachment including: a) a C-shaped frame having a spine with first andsecond arms extending laterally from first and second longitudinal endportions of the spine, the first and second spaced arms adapted tosupport turf removal tools; b) first and second motors for powering theturf removal tools mounted on the first and second spaced arms,respectively; c) at least one attachment to a source of energy, the atleast one attachment being mounted on the spine, the source of energyadapted to supply power to the first and second motors. Preferably thefirst and second motors comprise hydraulic motors for powering the turfremoval tools. The removal attachment includes a supply system forproviding hydraulic fluid from a single hydraulic source, the supplysystem including a splitter valve to divide a fluid stream from thesingle hydraulic source to ensure equal force is applied to both of thefirst and second hydraulic motors. Quick couplers are provided to attachthe supply system to a remote hydraulic source on the skid steer beingused to manipulate the turf removal attachment. In addition, a pair ofcutting blades are provided, each one of the pair being attachable tothe first and second arms for energization by said first and secondmotors, respectively, to slice an artificial turf surface intomanageable strips. First and second cutter shoes partially surround thefirst and second cutter blades and first and second blade guards overliea top portion of the first and second cutter blades, respectively.

The turf removal tools further include a pair of roller tines, one eachof the roller tines being attachable to the first and second arms,respectively, and being powered by the first and second motors to rollup the sliced turf strips. The removal attachment includes first andsecond slidable mounts supporting the first and second arms on the firstand second ends of the spine, respectively, and further comprising firstand second hydraulic rams to move the first and second arms laterallyrelative to the first and second longitudinal ends of the spine alongthe first and second slidable mounts, respectively. Further the removalattachment includes first and second height-adjustable wheels rotatablymounted to the first and second longitudinally extending arms,respectively.

Various other features, advantages, and characteristics of the presentinvention will become apparent after a reading of the following detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING(S)

The preferred embodiment(s) of the present invention is/are described inconjunction with the associated drawings in which like features areindicated with like reference numerals and in which

FIG. 1 is a partial perspective front view of a first embodiment of theturf removal attachment of the present invention showing a partial turfroll thereon;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a cutter shoe and blade guard ofthe present invention;

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the frame of first embodiment;and,

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the turf removal attachment ofand embodiment of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A first embodiment of the present invention is depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4generally at 20. Turf removal attachment 20 includes a frame featuring alongitudinal spine 24 and two laterally extending arms 26 a and 26 b.Arms 26 a and 26 b are connected to spine 24 by means of slidable mounts28 a, 28 b (FIG. 3 ) which telescope into the longitudinal ends 27 a, 27b of spine 24, respectively. Hydraulic rams 30 a, 30 b move arms 26 a,26 b in and out for the dual purposes of adjusting the width of the cutof the strip of turf 11 and to permit release of the turf roll 13 once astrip has been completely rolled. Mounting plate 32 is attached to theoutside of spine 24 and allows the turf removal attachment 20 to bebolted to the front of a skid steer using the conventional attachmentbolts associated therewith through holes 34.

Arms 26 a and 26 b have first and second motors 36 a, 36 b mountedthereon for powering turf removal tools which can be mounted thereon.Preferably, motors 36 a, 36 b are preferably hydraulic motors whichreceive hydraulic fluid from a source found on the skid steer (notshown). The hydraulic circuit 40 which makes this possible includeshydraulic quick couplers 42 a, 42 b which connect to the output andreturn lines from the hydraulic pump on the skid steer; electric overhydraulic valve assembly 44; first T-connector 46 for hydraulic lines 47to extend hydraulic rams 30 a, 30 b and second T-connector 48 forhydraulic lines 49 to retract hydraulic rams 30 a, 30 b; hydraulic flowdivider 50 to ensure equal flow through hydraulic lines 52 to powermotors 36 a, 36 b.

FIG. 2 depicts a cutter shoe 52 and blade guard 54 which surround turfcutting blade 55 and protect it (and personnel) against contact withforeign materials. Cutting blades 55 are connected to arms 26 a, 26 b insuch a manner as to permit them to be powered by hydraulic motors 36 a,36 b and shoes 52 attached to arms 26 a, 26 b so that they are justabove or minimally contact the surface of turf 11.

Additional turf removal tools are depicted in FIG. 4 and include a pairof roller tines 60 which support roller pipes 62. Roller tines 60 caneither have dual arms 61 as shown in FIG. 4 or can alternatively featuretwo sets of two, or four arms on each tine 60. In either case, tines arespaced in such a manner that roller pipes 62 (FIG. 4 ) grasp the leadend of turf 11 as roll formation is initiated and maintain a hold on theturf to avoid slippage ensuring a tight roll 13 is formed. Wheels 64 canbe height adjusted to accommodate the particular features (thickness,etc.) of the synthetic turf field with which it is used. While the turfremoval attachment 20 of the present invention may be made in whateversize desired, a preferred embodiment is capable of cutting turf 11 intostrips having widths of 7.5 to 15 feet (2.5-5 yards).

Various changes, alternatives, and modifications will become apparent toa person of ordinary skill in the art after a reading of the foregoingspecification. It is intended that all such changes, alternatives, andmodifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims beconsidered part of the present invention.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A method of removing synthetic turf,comprising the steps of: attaching a synthetic turf removal attachmentto a skid steer, and removing the synthetic turf, wherein the syntheticturf removal attachment comprises (a) a frame, comprising: (i) atransverse component; (ii) a first arm extending from a first distal endof the transverse component; and (iii) a second arm extending from asecond distal end of the transverse component, wherein the first distalend is on the opposite end of the transverse component from the seconddistal end; (b) a first removable turf removal tool connected to adistal end of the first arm; (c) a second removable turf removal toolconnected to a distal end of the second arm; (d) a first hydraulic motoroperably coupled to the first turf removal tool; (e) a second hydraulicmotor operably coupled to the second turf removal tool; and (f) amounting plate attached to a rear face of the transverse componentpermitting attachment of the synthetic turf removal attachment to theskid steer.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step ofadjusting a distance between the first arm and the second arm by movingat least one of said first arm and second arm laterally with respect toa respective end of the transverse component.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein the step of moving at least one of said first arm and second armlaterally comprising telescoping the at least one of said first arm andsecond arm laterally.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first andsecond removable turf removal tools comprise turf rolling tools.
 5. Themethod of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second removable turfremoval tools comprise a turf cutting tool.
 6. The method of claim 5,wherein each of the turf cutting tools comprises a turf cutting blade, acutter shoe, and a retractable blade guard, wherein the retractableblade guard covers the turf cutting blade when not in use, and whereinthe turf cutting tools is configured to cut the synthetic turf intostrips.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of cuttinga strip of synthetic turf via the turf cutting tools.
 8. The method ofclaim 7, further comprising the step of replacing the turf cutting toolswith turf rolling tools.
 9. The method of claim 8, further comprisingthe step of rolling a strip of synthetic turf using the turf rollingtools.
 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of rollinga strip of synthetic turf using the first and second removable turfremoval tools.
 11. A synthetic turf removal attachment, comprising: (a)a frame, comprising: (i) a transverse component; (ii) a first armextending from a first distal end of the transverse component; and (iii)a second arm extending from a second distal end of the transversecomponent, wherein the first distal end is on the opposite end of thetransverse component from the second distal end; (b) a first removableturf removal tool connected to a distal end of the first arm; (c) asecond removable turf removal tool connected to a distal end of thesecond arm; (d) a first hydraulic motor operably coupled to the firstturf removal tool; (e) a second hydraulic motor operably coupled to thesecond turf removal tool; and (f) a mounting plate attached to a rearface of the transverse component permitting attachment of the syntheticturf removal attachment to a skid steer.